No matter if you are snapping with a smartphone or the most complex DSLR, Italy is probably one of the most picturesque and photogenic countries on earth. You can snap cobblestoned streets, sparking seas, church domes and medieval towers. These are the 15 best spots to take pictures in Italy.

Rome

The eternal city with it’s soft golden light and curvaceous baroque architecture make shooting a dream.

1. The massive Colosseum is difficult to capture in in entirety.  Head to the nearby Colle Oppio park which puts you about mid-level and provides a great perspective on this iconic sight.

2. Head towards the once patrician Aventine hill in the early evening to the Giardini d’arancia for the best sunset picture opportunity in Rome.  Also known as the Parco Savelli, this spot has a view over treetops and terra-cotta roofs out towards the dome of Saint Peters Basilica.

3. The neighborhood of Trastevere is one of Rome’s most enchanting.  Get up early, when the streets are still quiet and capture ochre and ivy covered buildings and courtyards hung with laundry.

The magical, mysterious city of Venice, the city built on water just begs to be photographed. In the fall and winter she is shrouded with soft mist, in the spring clear blue skies and the summer light makes for sharp contrasts.

4. Climb to the middle of the wooden Accademia bridge for a scenic view of the Grand Canal. Look down to snap the vaporetti ferrying commuters and up for the view towards the church of Santa Maria della Salute.

5. The sestiere of Castello is one of Venice’s quieter parts of town. Walk the wide via Garbaldi and find the market boat piled high with fruits and vegetables. The street is lined with typical cafes and storefronts.  Duck under low covered passages known as sottoportego for hidden alleys strewn with laundry.

6. The colorful fishing village of Burano is a short water bus ride away from Saint Mark’s Square. Each house, and even doors and shutters, are painted different bright colors. This was originally done to make the homes easy to spot from the sea and as a boundary line between properties. The rainbow palette is a photographers dream.

Naples and the Amalfi Coast

The spectacular scenery along the Amalfi coast will take your breath away. A dramatic coastline with colorful houses spilling down the cliffs, A sea that turns from steel gray to teal to turquoise to cobalt blue in the span of a day. In Naples you have the opportunity to shoot lively street life and a seaside fortress of a castle all overseen by a pensive volcano.

7.  In Naples the Castel dell’Ovo sits in a pleasing marina that is filled with both sophisticated sailboats and rustic crafts of fisherman all with a terrific view of Vesuvius as the backdrop.

8. The village of Ravello sits high above the Mediterranean sea and is filled with manicured gardens and elegant villas. In the very center of town is the Villa Rufolo with terraced gardens that are almost always in bloom and one of the most recognized views of the Amalfi Coast complete with a canopy pine, church dome and deep blue sea.

9. On the glamorous white washed island of Capri go early in the morning to the tranquil Augustus gardens for views of the Faraglioni rocks rising from the sea and the vertiginous view of the the switchbacked via Krupp.

10. The pastel colors of shabby-chic Positano are best snapped from a boat just off the shore of the Grande Spiagga.

Florence and Tuscany

The city of Florence is a renaissance jewel with red topped church domes and striking black and white mosaics, The main piazzas are filled with sculpture and the Arno river is dotted with entrancing bridges.

11. The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is Florence’s most recognizable site. Climb the many steps of Giotto’s Campanile bell tower for a birds eye view over Filippo Brunelleschi’s dome or stand in the Piazza del Duomo and play with the geometry and colors of the buildings.

12. On the Oltrarno side of town is the Piazzale Michelangelo which affords a panoramic view over the entire city of Florence. You can see from Forte Belvedere to Santa Croce to the green hills of nearby Fiesole.

13. After dark go to one of the many bridges, the most famous being the Ponte Vecchio, crossing the river Arno and catch the streetlights reflected in the inky water.

14. The Val d’Orcia region of Tuscany has everything for your postcard perfect vacation shots. You will discover fields of sunflowers, rows of cypress tree and castles on hilltops.

15. The small Tuscan town of San Gimignano has 14 towers still standing from the middle ages which create a stunning skyline.

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